Excavating machine



S. KELLY.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Die. 3. 1920.

1,%37,594, Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l.

my 21: 6mm,

S. KELLY.

EXCAVATING M'ACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, I920.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

8 SHEETSSHEET 2.

S. KELLY.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED awe. I920.

1,437,594; Patented Dec. 5,1922.

8 SHEETS SHEET 3.

/2 46 6 70 9 gp mm S. KELLY.-

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. 1920.

Patented Dec. 5,1922.

8 SHEETSSHEET 4.

NE W W S. KELLY.

EXCAVATING MACHINE APPLICATION HLED DEC-. 3. I920.

M37354, Patented. Dec.5,1922..

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

S. KELLY.

EXCAVAHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEC= 3, 1920.

1,48%594, Patented Dec. 5, 1922,

ga a o 8 SHEETSSHEET 6. "J0

S. KELLY.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0503,1920.

1 4:37, 594 Patented Dec. 5 1922,

8 SHEETSSHEET 7.

S KELLY.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEC.3,1920.

Patented- Dec. 5, 1922.

B SHEETS-SHEET 8.

\Q SQ I W 61mm;

"Patented en. 5, 1922.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN KELLY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

nxoavnrme maonmn.

Application filed December 8, 1920. Serial'No. 427,984.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN KELLY,.3. citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExcavating said front and rear tractors independently of each other,cutting mechanism oompr1sin 'an endless chaln carrying kmves or othersuitable cutting devices, said chainf being arranged to traveldownwardly in a substantially vertical line on its operating flight,means for delivering the cut material inwardly toward the center of themachine, and means for conveying said material to the rear of themachine.

In the present invention, I have produced a machine suitable for use inmining shale,

or as an excavator to housed in place of the present type of steamshovel.

In this machine, the cuttingelements are mounted on an endless'chaintraveling over suitable sprockets. On the cutting flight, knives carriedby the chain are adapted to dig into the surface of the bank being cutand to convey the lobse'earth ,or other material so out toward the rearof the machine. The material is carried over the frame of the machinethrough a suitable trough and may be deposited in trucks or cartsarranged at the back of the machine. In the present invention, I employthree tractors of the endless belt construction, two,

at the fro-nt'of the machine and one at the rear. The front and reartractors are independently driven, and may be run in reverse direotions,at differential speeds, or at equal speeds enabling the machine to turnon a short circle to travel on a curved line or on a straight line,respectively.

In the present invention, I employ a plu rality of rollers which areadapted to engage the surface being cut to prevent the machine fromworking inwardly beyond the desired point. These rollers are mounted insuitable guides and may be adjusted by means of suitable adjustingscrews.

The cutting mechanism is arranged sub-- stantially centrally of themachine and-the trough which conveys the material over the frame of themachlne is arranged beneath the cutting mechanism. Suitablemeans areprovided for feeding the cut material inwardly toward the trough andprevent accumulation of material at the end of the operating flight ofthe conveyor.

- In the accompanying drawings, I have shown several embodiments of theinvention. In this showing:

Figure l is a plan view of one form of the machine, P

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, Figure 3- is a front elevation,

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the main drive shaft,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of a chute in which theconveyor'travels on its operating flight, on line 5-5 of Figure 3, gure6 is a plan View ofthe chute,

Flgure 7 is a detail view showing the means for feeding the materialinto the trough, I

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the construotion shown in Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a portion of the conveyor chain,

' Figure 10 is'a front view thereof,

Figure 11 is a sideelevation of one of the adjusting rollers, i

Figure 12 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 13 is a side elevation of a modified type of machine, and,

Figure 14 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 to 12 of the drawings, the machine comprises asubstantially horizontal frame having longitudinal side bars 1, andtransverse front and rear' bars 2. An upper frame is provided,comprising inclined bars 3 and 4, and horizontal connecting bars 5.Suitable braces 6 may be provided. The main sprocket wheel 7 of theconveyor is supported on a sub-frame 8 which is suitably spaced from themain frame by vertical bars 9 and inclined bars second sprocket wheel 11is arranged at the upperendv of the upper frame and a sprocket wheel 12is dis osed beneath the frame and slightly space from the ground.

Referring in detail to Figures 9 and 1 0 of the drawings, the cuttingmechanism comprises an endless conve or consisting of two chains 13=and14, suita ly spaced from each other and adapted to pass over thesprockets 7, 11, and 12, a pair of sprockets being provided in eachinstance to engage the two chains. Each chain includes a plurality ofcenter links 15, having substantially rec-tanu'lar openings 16 formedtherein, the openings being provided with lugs or proJections 17. A pairof side links 18 are secured to each of the center links and the spacebetween each pair of side links is adapted to be engaged by the sprocketteeth in the usual manner. As shown, the ends of the side links areprovided with openings adapted to register with an opening 19, in thecenter link for the reception of a suitable pivot pin 20 which may beretained in place in any suitable manner, as by nut 21.

The cutting device 22 is suitably supported on a knife holder 23,carried by the chain. As shown, a pair of spacing bars 24 are provided,and these spacing bars are provided with enlarged heads 25, adapted tobe received in the rectangular openings ofthe center links of the chain(see Figure 9) and retained in position by lugs 17. One of the spacingbars is adapted to be received in an opening formed in the knife holder,as at 26, the opposite end of the knife holder being secured to theother spacing bar by means of til-shaped bolts 27 surrounding thespacing bar and passing through the knife holder. A cap 28 is clamped toeach end of the knife holder 23 by U-bolt 27. The bore of 28 and 23being larger than the diameter of spacing bar 24 permits the latter toturn freely when traveling around sprockets. As shown, the cuttingelement 22 is arranged in an opening in the knife holder, and its loweredge is provided with serrations or saw-teeth 29. A set screw 30 isadapted to engage a short, soft steel shoe 30 having a serrated facewhich fits into serrations 29. The point of set screw 30, engages adepression in the back ofthe shoe. The head of the set screw issurrounded by a cast on ring 31 to prevent it being damaged or broken.

Refer-ring to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, a plate 32 is supportedon each of the inclined members 3. A pair of L-shaped plates 34 aresecured to each of the plates 32 forming troughs to form guides for thechains. The troughs are provided with a pivoted extension 35 which maybe arranged in operative position substantially in salinement with thebody of the trough when the machine is operating to prevent the looseearth or other cut material from falling on to the frame of the machine.As shown, the extension is pivoted to the body of the menace trough atsuitable intervals, as at 36, and connected to the body by a pluralityof links 37 which are in turn connected to cranks 38, carried on a shaft39, supported in bearings 40 on the bottom of the trough. The shaft mabe operated to move the extensions in an out by means of a crank 41,-anda control rod 42.

The lower sprockets 12 are arranged on a shaft 43 supported in suitablethrust bearings 44, carried by a plate 45, secured to the front crossbar 2 of the machine. A pair of ribbon conveyors 46 are arranged on theshaft on each side of the sprockets and adapted to deliver materialinwardly toward the center of the machine. Beyond the scrapers, themachine is provided with a pair of star wheels 47, the points of whichare provided with suitable cutting elements 48 which are adapted toengage the earth at the bottom of the cut and furnish a complete cut. Asubstantially semi-circular scraping plate 49 is arranged beside each ofthe star wheels. As shown, the scraper is loosely mounted on a quill orshort turned extension of bearing 44, and may be lowered behind each cutor raised before the cut by means of chain 50 which passes over sprocket51 carried on the hub of the scraper. The chain passes upwardly oversprocket wheels 52, 53, and 54, mounted on the upper frame of themachine, one of which is provided with a crank not shown).

A trough 55 is arranged over the machine substantiall in alinement withthe sprockets 7 and 12. n the first ortion of the return flight, theconveyor 0 ain travels in this trough and carries the earth upwardly tothe rear of the machine where it is delivered to a spout 56. Trucks orcars may be arranged below the spout to receive the material and thespout may be provided with a gate 57, whereby the delivery of materialii rom the spout may be controlled. The n per end of the trough issupported by a p ate 58, secured to the inclined beam 10 and the lowerend is secured to a plate 59 connected to the cross beam 2 of the mainframe.

The frame of the machine is mounted on a pair of front tractors 60 and61, and a rear tractor 62, giving a three point suspension whereby themachine may be readily used on rough ground. The forward tractors aresupported between the front cross beam 2 and a lateral beam 63, and therear tractor is supported by a pair of transverse beams 64. Each of theforward tractors comprises a traction member 65, formed of linkspivotally connected to each other, as at 66, and adapted to engagesprocket wheels 67. The sprocket wheels are supported from the mainframe by a vertical beam 68 and horizontal beams 69. Suitable bearings70 are arranged in the horizontal beams for the sprocket wheels.

' main frame of the machine.

. and direct1on of the front tractors may The rear tractor is likewisesupported by a horizontal b 71, secured to the transverse beams 64 bymeans of longitudinal beam 72. Bearings 73 are arranged at the ends ofthe horizontal beams adapted to receive sprocket wheels 74 which engagethe links 75 of the traction member.

The machine may be driven from any source of power which, in thisinstance is designated as a motor 76, su ported on the he main shaft 77is supported in suitable bearings 78 and extends transversely of themachine. A pinion 79 is arranged on the main shaft and is adapted tomesh with a pinion 80, mounted on stub shaft 81 supported in bearings82, carried by the inclined beam 10. A pinion 83 is arranged on thisstub shaft and meshes with a gear 84 on shaft 85. The sprockets 7 arearranged on the shaft 85 and are thus the main sprockets or drivingsprockets of the conveyor.

The front and rear tractors are independently driven from the main shaftwhereby the front tractors may be driven at a differ: ent speed, or in adifferent direction from the rear tractor to turn the machine, or topermit it to work on a curved surface. -As shown, a friction wheel 86 isarranged on the main shaft and is adapted to drivethe-front tractors.The friction wheel is mounted on the shaft to revolve therewith, and topermit slidin movement whereby the speed be controlled. As shown, it isprovided with a collar 87 for the reception of a control lever, (notshown). The friction wheel is adapted to engage a friction disk 88,carried by shaft 89, arranged longitudinally of the machine.

The shaft is supported in suitable bearings 90 and 91, and 1s providedwith a spring 92 which normally holds the disk out of engagement withthe friction wheel. Any suitable means may be employed for retaining thedisk in engagement with the friction Wheel when desired. A pinion 95 isarran ed on the'shaft 89 and is adapted to meshwit a gear 96 carried bya stub shaft 97 This shaft is in turn, provided with a pinion 98,meshing with a gear 99 on shaft 100. The shaft 100 is provlded with apinion 101, meshing with a gear 102 carried by the shaft of one of thesprocket wheels 67 of the traction member. A bevel gear 103 is alsoarranged on this shaft and is adapted to mesh with a bevel gear 104, ontransverse shaft 105. A bevel gear 106 is arranged on the opposite endof the shaft, and meshes with a bevel gear 107 on the shaft of one ofthe sprocket wheels 67 i of the other front tractor.

The rear tractor is similarly driven by means of a friction wheel 108slidably mounted on themain drive shaft and enga ing a friction disk 109on shaft 110. The shaft is mounted in suitable bearings 111 and isprovided with as ring 112 to normally maintain the disk an the wheel outof engagement with each other. The shaft is held in engagement by anysuitable means. The

shaft is provided with a iplinlon 114 meshing with a gear 115, on a sha116. This shaft'is in turn provided with a. pinion 117 meshing with agear 118, carried by ashaft 119.-

Shaft 119 is provided with a pinion 120, meshlng with a gear 121,carried by the shaft of one of the sprocket wheels 74.

A pair of sprocket wheels 122 are mounted on horizontal members 5 of theupper frame,

the wheels being supported by the shaft 123, arranged in earings 124.The upper sprocket wheels 11 are supported on a sh'aft being cut may beovercome. As shown (see- Figures 11 and 12), the rollers are supportedin yokes 128, carried by rods 129. These rods are adapted to be receivedin guides 130 which engage a portion of the machine, as at 131. By theuse of the hand wheel and screw at the end of 129, the rollers may beadjusted longitudinally of the machine, and will thus engage the sidesof the bank and prevent the machine from undul crowding into it.

In Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly differentform of the invention, adapted to be used as a depressed face claymining machine. This machine is capable of use in cutting an incline132, at an angle to the surface 133 on which the machine rests. The twoforward tractors 60 and 61 and the rear tractor 62 are employed, as inthe other form of the invention, and are adapted to be driven in thesame manner. The main drive shaft 7 7 is driven-from the motor by meansof a belt 134,- passing over pulley 135. The tractors are driven fromthe main shaft in the same manner as. in the other form of theinvention, and this detail has been omitted from these figures of thedraw ings. The shaft 85 on which the drive sprockets 7 are mounted, isdriven -in the same manner. "From the drive sprockets,

the chain passes upwardly over a pair of sprockets 136,-supported on ashaft 137, arrangedon an upper frame. The upper frame comprises verticalbeams 138, inclined beams 139, and horizontal beams 140. downwardlinclined frame comprising two series of Tbwnwardly inclined beams 141and 142 is arranged at the front of the ma chine, the two series of beambeing connected by transverse beams 143. The sprocket wheels 12 aremounted on a shaft 144, arranged at the bottom of this frame and theribbon conveyors 46 and other ele mentsassociated with the sprockets 12are between the sprocket wheels 12 an sup orted on this shaft. Theoperating stro e of the cutting elements takes lafie t e front of themachine, the material being delivered into the chute 55 and conve edthrough the chute in the manner heretofore 1 the frame of the machine.

The 0 eration of the machine will be a parent from the foregoingdescription. n the use of the type of machine shown in Figures 1 to 12of the drawings, the machine is arranged beside the bank to be cut andtravels laterally of the bank on the tractors 60, 61, and 62. Themachine may be turned by disconnecting the friction wheel 108 andfriction disk 109to supply power to the front tractors alone, or it maybe caused to travel in an arc of a circle by supplying power to thefront or rear tractors alone. The earth loosened by the knives 22 fallsto the bottom of the bank whence it is conveyed to the trough by theribbon conveyors 46 and delivered to the rear of the machine.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 13 and 1d of the drawings,the loose material is carried upwardly by the chain to the trough anddelivered to the rear of the machine. Any material escaping will traveldown the inclined surface 132 whence it will again be delivered to thechain by the ribbon conveyors d6.

lit is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may ieeneea be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the subjoined claims. Having thus described myinvention, ll claim: 1. In an excavating machine, a supporting frame, aconveyor frame mounted thereon and extending transversely of saidsupporting frame, ide members arranged at the front of said conveyorframe and exmnding vertically, said guide members being in alinementwith one side of the supp0rt= ing frame, an endless conveyor mounted onsaid conveyor frame and adapted to pass downwardly over said guidemembers on its operative flight, cutting mechanism carried b saidconveyor, a trough arranged on sai supporting frame, the front of saidtrou hbein disposed beneath said guide mem ers, ri bon conveyorsdisposed near the forward end of said trou h and adapted to deliver cutmaterial t%61'&t0, and a spout arranged at the rear of said trough.

2. In an excavating machine, a supporting frame, an endless conveyormounted thereon, cutting mechanism carried by said conveyor, and aplurality of rollers mounted on said frame and ads ted to engage thesurface being cut to limit the movement of the machine toward saidsurface.

3. Tn an excavatingmachine, a supporting frame, a conveying framemounted thereon, said conveying frame comprising a pair of substantiallyvertical guide members, an endless conveyor arranged in said conveyorframe, cutting mechanism carried thereby, means for conveying cutmaterial from one side of the supporting frame to the opposite sidethereof, and a hinged extension formed on the side of the conveyor frameto prevent cut material from falling on to the supporting frame.

ture in presence of two witnesses.

. STEPHEN KELLY. Witnesses:

E. L. QBaran, (15. Emma.

v '90 in testimony whereof I affix my signa-

